Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce had a disappointing second season, causing the club to make other arrangements at the position.
After flashing bruising running ability as a rookie, Pierce struggled in Bobby Slowik's offense in 2023, earning 416 yards and two touchdowns while averaging just 2.9 yards per carry.
The back's inefficiency led the Texans to lean on Devin Singletary during their playoff push. This offseason, Houston traded for Joe Mixon and handed the veteran a new contract. The Texans also used a sixth-round pick on Jawhar Jordan.
Despite the ill fit, struggles and other additions, general manager Nick Caserio said this week during an interview on Sports Radio 610 that the team continues to count on Pierce.
"The big thing right now is to be in good condition -- which he is," Caserio said, via Texans Daily. "Watching him move on the field, he looks pretty good. Everybody's looking forward to the opportunity in front of them; you can't worry about what's happened in the past. He's got as good an attitude as anyone on the team. We're glad DP is here. He's going to be a big part of what we're doing. He's working his ass off so far, which is great to see."
Mixon enters the offseason with clear first-line duties as a potential three-down back who shouldn't come off the field much. Pierce is slated to play a secondary role, but if injury strikes, he could see that workload increase. Given the injury rate at the position, Caserio wisely knows the team could very well need Pierce to play a bigger role than initially projected in 2024.
